Alert archive / Kansas / Tornado Warnings in 2025

Tornado Warning 9, NWS Dodge City, KS

May 18, 2025Kiowa County, Kansas

NWS Dodge City, KS issued this tornado warning at May 18, 2025, 9:48 PM CDT for Kiowa County, Kansas. It was in force for 42 min. 7 reports came from inside the area while it was in force.

The area

The outline as issued, with what was reported inside it.

The facts

Issued
May 18, 2025, 9:48 PM CDT (02:48 UTC)
Expired
May 18, 2025, 10:30 PM CDT
In force
42 min
Issued by
NWS Dodge City, KS
Area
Storm-based polygon
Emergency
Tornado emergency
Tornado
Observed
Damage threat
Catastrophic
Hail
2.0 in

County Kiowa County, KS

The radar

The Dodge City radar (KDDC), 63 km from the middle of the area, began a volume at 02:50 UTC, the scan nearest the moment this went out.

Open the radar archive at this moment

The archived warnings, watches and discussions in force at that minute are drawn over the scan, this one among them.

What was reported inside it

TimeReportWhereRemark
May 18, 9:53 PM CDTTORNADO7 Ssw Greensburg, KSReport included pictures.
May 18, 9:53 PM CDTTORNADO7 Ssw Greensburg, KSReport included pictures.
May 18, 9:55 PM CDTTORNADO4 S Greensburg, KSBeginning of small satellite vortex of Kiowa2 tornado.
May 18, 10:04 PM CDTTORNADO5 Ese Greensburg, KSBeginning of Kiowa3 tornado.
May 18, 10:06 PM CDTTORNADO5 E Greensburg, KSEnd of Kiowa2 tornado.
May 18, 10:14 PM CDTTORNADO5 Wnw Haviland, KSBeginning of satellite vortex off of the larger Kiowa3 tornado.
May 18, 10:21 PM CDTTORNADO6 Nw Haviland, KSEnd of satellite vortex off of the larger Kiowa3 tornado.

Local storm reports filed while the alert was in force, from inside its polygon or its counties.

The watch it was issued in

The SPC watch in force over the same counties when this warning went out.

IssuedProductOfficeLasted
May 18, 3:38 PM CDTTornado WatchSPC8 hr

The nearest sounding before it

Dodge City, (KDDC), launched 00:00Z, 2.8 hours before the alert went out and 58 km from the middle of its area. This is the routine balloon launch nearest before it, the air the forecaster had in hand, not a measurement taken for the alert.

Skew-T log-pSkew-T log-p diagram, Dodge City, at 00:00Z on 2025-05-19Temperature and dew point through the depth of the atmosphere, with the mixed-layer parcel. CAPE 2754 joules per kilogram.LCLLFCEL10008507005003002001001 km2 km3 km6 km9 km12 km15 km-30°-20°-10°10°20°30°40°
Temperature in red, dew point in green, the mixed-layer parcel dashed.
HodographHodograph, Dodge City, at 00:00Z on 2025-05-19The wind through the lowest 10 kilometers. Zero to 1 km storm-relative helicity 599 square meters per square second.1939587897Sfc1 km3 km6 km9 kmRMLM
The wind turning with height, colored by layer: ground to 1 km, 1 to 3 km, 3 to 6 km, 6 to 10 km.
Mixed-layer CAPE
2754 J/kg
Mixed-layer CIN
-64 J/kg
Mixed-layer LCL
616 m above ground
0-6 km bulk shear
74 kt
0-1 km storm-relative helicity
599 m²/s²
0-3 km storm-relative helicity
675 m²/s²
Significant tornado parameter
11.3
Supercell composite
45.1

Open this sounding in Storm Lab

The text

As transmitted.

950 
WFUS53 KDDC 190248
TORDDC
KSC097-190330-
/O.NEW.KDDC.TO.W.0009.250519T0248Z-250519T0330Z/

BULLETIN - EAS ACTIVATION REQUESTED
Tornado Warning
National Weather Service Dodge City KS
948 PM CDT Sun May 18 2025

...TORNADO EMERGENCY FOR GREENSBURG...

The National Weather Service in Dodge City has issued a

* Tornado Warning for...
  Northeastern Kiowa County in south central Kansas...

* Until 1030 PM CDT.

* At 947 PM CDT, a confirmed large and destructive tornado was
  observed near Greensburg, moving northeast at 30 mph.

  TORNADO EMERGENCY for GREENSBURG. This is a PARTICULARLY DANGEROUS 
SITUATION. TAKE COVER NOW!

  HAZARD...Deadly tornado.

  SOURCE...Weather spotters confirmed tornado.

  IMPACT...You are in a life-threatening situation. Flying debris 
           may be deadly to those caught without shelter. Mobile 
           homes will be destroyed. Considerable damage to homes, 
           businesses, and vehicles is likely and complete 
           destruction is possible.

* The tornado will be near...
  Greensburg around 955 PM CDT.

PRECAUTIONARY/PREPAREDNESS ACTIONS...

To repeat, a large, extremely dangerous and potentially deadly
tornado is ongoing. To protect your life, TAKE COVER NOW! Move to an
interior room on the lowest floor of a sturdy building. Avoid
windows. If in a mobile home, a vehicle or outdoors.. Move to the
closest substantial shelter and protect yourself from flying debris.

Tornadoes are extremely difficult to see and confirm at night. Do not
wait to see or hear the tornado. TAKE COVER NOW!

&&

LAT...LON 3751 9939 3773 9932 3767 9904 3749 9928
TIME...MOT...LOC 0247Z 221DEG 25KT 3753 9931 

TORNADO...OBSERVED
TORNADO DAMAGE THREAT...CATASTROPHIC
MAX HAIL SIZE...2.00 IN

$$

SPRINGER
2 follow-up statements
749 
WWUS53 KDDC 190257
SVSDDC

Severe Weather Statement
National Weather Service Dodge City KS
957 PM CDT Sun May 18 2025

KSC097-190330-
/O.CON.KDDC.TO.W.0009.000000T0000Z-250519T0330Z/
Kiowa KS-
957 PM CDT Sun May 18 2025

...TORNADO EMERGENCY FOR GREENSBURG...

...A TORNADO WARNING REMAINS IN EFFECT UNTIL 1030 PM CDT FOR
NORTHEASTERN KIOWA COUNTY...
  
At 957 PM CDT, a confirmed large and destructive tornado was located
near Greensburg, moving northeast at 30 mph.

TORNADO EMERGENCY for GREENSBURG. This is a PARTICULARLY DANGEROUS 
SITUATION. TAKE COVER NOW!

HAZARD...Deadly tornado.

SOURCE...Weather spotters confirmed tornado.

IMPACT...You are in a life-threatening situation. Flying debris may 
         be deadly to those caught without shelter. Mobile homes 
         will be destroyed. Considerable damage to homes, 
         businesses, and vehicles is likely and complete destruction 
         is possible.

The tornado will be near...
  Greensburg around 1000 PM CDT.

PRECAUTIONARY/PREPAREDNESS ACTIONS...

To repeat, a large, extremely dangerous, and potentially deadly
tornado is ongoing. To protect your life, TAKE COVER NOW! Move to an
interior room on the lowest floor of a sturdy building. Avoid
windows. If in a mobile home, a vehicle or outdoors, move to the
closest substantial shelter and protect yourself from flying debris.

Tornadoes are extremely difficult to see and confirm at night. Do not
wait to see or hear the tornado. TAKE COVER NOW!

&&

LAT...LON 3757 9937 3773 9932 3767 9904 3753 9922
TIME...MOT...LOC 0257Z 221DEG 25KT 3758 9925 

TORNADO...OBSERVED
TORNADO DAMAGE THREAT...CATASTROPHIC
MAX HAIL SIZE...2.00 IN

$$

SPRINGER
241 
WWUS53 KDDC 190305
SVSDDC

Severe Weather Statement
National Weather Service Dodge City KS
1005 PM CDT Sun May 18 2025

KSC097-190330-
/O.CON.KDDC.TO.W.0009.000000T0000Z-250519T0330Z/
Kiowa KS-
1005 PM CDT Sun May 18 2025

...A TORNADO WARNING REMAINS IN EFFECT UNTIL 1030 PM CDT FOR
NORTHEASTERN KIOWA COUNTY...
  
At 1004 PM CDT, a confirmed large and extremely dangerous tornado was
located 3 miles east of Greensburg, moving northeast at 30 mph.

This is a PARTICULARLY DANGEROUS SITUATION for areas east of 
Greensburg. Greensburg is no longer in the tornado emergency. TAKE 
COVER NOW!

HAZARD...Damaging tornado.

SOURCE...Weather spotters confirmed tornado.

IMPACT...You are in a life-threatening situation. Flying debris may 
         be deadly to those caught without shelter. Mobile homes 
         will be destroyed. Considerable damage to homes, 
         businesses, and vehicles is likely and complete destruction 
         is possible.

The tornado will be near...
  Haviland around 1010 PM CDT.

PRECAUTIONARY/PREPAREDNESS ACTIONS...

Tornadoes are extremely difficult to see and confirm at night. Do not
wait to see or hear the tornado. TAKE COVER NOW!

&&

LAT...LON 3761 9928 3772 9925 3767 9904 3757 9917
TIME...MOT...LOC 0304Z 221DEG 25KT 3762 9921 

TORNADO...OBSERVED
TORNADO DAMAGE THREAT...CONSIDERABLE
MAX HAIL SIZE...2.00 IN

$$

SPRINGER

The office that day

Everything else NWS Dodge City, KS issued on the same UTC day.

IssuedProductOfficeCountiesLasted
May 18, 7:06 PM CDTSevere Thunderstorm Warning Considerable damage threatDDCEdwards, Pawnee39 min
May 18, 7:18 PM CDTTornado WarningDDCEdwards27 min
May 18, 7:28 PM CDTSevere Thunderstorm WarningDDCEllis, Ness, Trego47 min
May 18, 7:36 PM CDTTornado Warning Tornado observedConsiderable damage threatDDCEdwards, Pawnee24 min
May 18, 7:56 PM CDTTornado Warning Tornado observedDDCPawnee34 min
May 18, 8:12 PM CDTSevere Thunderstorm WarningDDCPawnee, Stafford18 min
May 18, 8:37 PM CDTSevere Thunderstorm Warning Considerable damage threatDDCBarber, Comanche28 min
May 18, 8:57 PM CDTSpecial Weather StatementDDCKiowa33 min
May 18, 9:11 PM CDTSevere Thunderstorm Warning Considerable damage threatDDCClark, Comanche, Edwards, Ford, Kiowa, Pratt49 min
May 18, 9:19 PM CDTTornado WarningDDCClark, Comanche, Kiowa26 min
May 18, 9:32 PM CDTTornado Warning Tornado observedConsiderable damage threatDDCEdwards, Kiowa43 min
May 18, 10:10 PM CDTTornado Warning Tornado observedDDCKiowa, Pratt28 min
May 18, 10:20 PM CDTTornado Warning Tornado observedConsiderable damage threatDDCEdwards, Kiowa, Pratt40 min
May 18, 10:52 PM CDTTornado WarningDDCPratt, Stafford38 min
May 18, 11:23 PM CDTTornado Warning Tornado observedConsiderable damage threatDDCPratt, Stafford20 min
May 19, 1:25 AM CDTSpecial Weather StatementDDCRush50 min
May 19, 5:13 PM CDTSpecial Weather StatementDDCScott47 min
May 19, 5:26 PM CDTSevere Thunderstorm WarningDDCLane, Scott49 min
May 19, 6:08 PM CDTSevere Thunderstorm WarningDDCLane, Scott52 min
May 19, 6:50 PM CDTSpecial Weather StatementDDCLane40 min

Nearby

Tornado Warnings in Kansas, 2025Every tornado warning in 2025Tornadoes in 2025

Sources

The product and its follow-ups from the Iowa Environmental Mesonet's archive of National Weather Service and Storm Prediction Center text; local storm reports from the same archive; the sounding from the Mesonet's radiosonde archive; radar from the NEXRAD Level II archive.